Independence water park to close citing financial loss, mounting repairs
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - A popular water park in Independence won’t reopen this year.
The City of Independence announced Monday that Adventure Oasis Water Park will not open again.
“We are making it official,” the water park posted on Facebook Monday. “Adventure Oasis will not open again.”
“Between continual financial losses and mounting repairs needed for the park to be safe for guests, the City agreed now is the time to close the summertime icon.”
The park charged $10 for Independence residents and $15 for non-residents last year after the Independence City Council voted in November 2023 to open it to non-residents for the 2024 season. Prior to that, the park had been exclusively open to Independence residents since 2020.
“We loved having Adventure Oasis in our backyard,” the post continued. “However, the time has come to look toward the future. The Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department is working on a new Parks Master Plan and we want your input! Opportunities for community participation are coming and we look forward to hearing what you want in the future.”
The decision was made after the city held a meeting in October last year, citing the following reasons why the water park should remain closed:
- Ongoing Financial Losses: Since 2019, the park has operated at a loss of more than $435,000 per year.
- Limited Operating Season: As a facility open for only 12 weeks per year, revenue was not enough to cover operational and maintenance costs.
- High Repair Costs: An estimated $8.4 million in capital improvements would have been needed to meet health and safety codes and remain competitive with nearby water parks. To open for the 2025 season, the city would have needed to invest $1.3 million in immediate safety repairs.
- Aging Infrastructure: The park has not added new water features since it opened in 2005, making it difficult to attract new visitors and remain competitive with other area facilities.
According to the city’s website, the walking bridge was deemed unsafe, the mechanical room was damaged and equipment and features needed repairs.
In recent years, the city says attendance at the park was steady but not enough to offset the costs.
“It didn’t seem like it was full that much, they didn’t do a whole lot of business, that’s probably why it’s closed,” said Terry Blankinship, an Independence resident.
Blankinship said he’s gone there a handful of times but isn’t too surprised about the closure.
“They were too strict with their rules, kids couldn’t really have fun there, they couldn’t have no toys, no floaties,” he explained, “you couldn’t go there as an adult with a raft and relax on the water, it’s not anything that I would miss personally.”
KCTV5 did reach out to surrounding cities to see what other options Independence residents have. Both Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs’s water parks accept non-residents.
A day to Summit Waves is $15, and at Blue Surf Bay Park, it’s $18 for adults and $16 for children.
Both Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit said they are prepared for an influx of non-resident visitors this season.
“We have been proactively monitoring aquatics offerings in neighboring cities,” said a Lee’s Summit spokesperson. “We project that participants from Adventure Oasis will contribute to increased attendance at summit waves.”
“Our staff will be more than ready if there is a significant increase in attendance because we expected large crowds last year during the waterpark’s first year,” a Blue Springs spokesperson noted.
For now, residents said they will be taking advantage of the free parks and the splash pad.
“We bring them, and they have a lot of fun and they got all this other stuff to run around with, so I say this is one of the better parks in the city for young kids,” said Blankinship.
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